REMINGTON MARINE MAGNUM

A lot of serious Gunners agree. There is nothing on the planet more versatile and more effective than the simple and almost universal 12 Gauge. There are a lot of platforms for the Big 12. Autos, pumps, break open, double barrel, bolt actions... There have been shotguns out there since there have been guns. But the most familiar is of course the pump action.

The pump gun has been there and done that since the late 1800's, and it has done so without fanfare, without pride, without the lime light given to other guns like the Peacemaker and the Winchester 94. There is almost no appreciation of the shotgun in American History... but the shotgun has been there every step of the way. Used for hunting and protection the shotgun has been the goto gun for frontiersmen and pioneers... it has put food on the table and has protected the home. You can use it to take small game, birds, deer, even elk. The shotgun can do just about anything.

Remington made a home run with the model 870. It has become the icon of the pump action. When you think of a pump action, the image that jumps to mind is an 870.

I'm not a waterfowl hunter, turkey hunter, I don't shoot skeet, trap, or clays... When I'm using a shotgun it is for defense. In my case the shotgun is not a tool, but a weapon. And as a weapon it is shockingly devastating. Carbines and handguns can be potent weapons, but nothing brings the authority to bear like a Big 12.

The Marine Magnum is a very simple gun... nothing special. No chokes, no ribs, no adjustable combs... just a straight forward pump gun with an extended feed tube to hold a couple more shells. The cool thing that sets apart the Marine Magnum is the electroless nickel plating on all metal surfaces inside and out. The plating is smooth inside and bead blasted dull on the outside to reduce glare.

The smooth coatings inside give the gun a bonus... it gives the action a very slick feel. Of course the point is to be corrosion resistant. Hence the name Marine Magnum.

This isn't a send up for the US Marines, but as in salt water. The whole point of this gun is to be an all weather fighter and fight stopper. This it is. The gun sports simple polymer stocks in a flat black, goes with anything color with a really good recoil pad. Mine has no special sights or tactical accouterments... just a sling. Just to help carry the weight of the gun. A bead at the muzzle end. That's all it has. That is all it needs.

I will be honest. While the gun needs nothing else... I do want to make some changes. I prefer pistol grips and not traditional straight stocks on weapon that require maneuverability. I don't mean to take away from the Marine Magnum's simple effectiveness, it is just my own quirkiness. Remington has a good pistol grip stock for their shotguns that has a built in recoil reduction system. I'll have to order it eventually, but first I've ordered the old stand by, the Butler Creek steel side folder. I've always used it on my Mossberg 590's... it's the one I just like.

I think I'll also have to eventually get a Surefire to the front end. A good solid weapon mounted light will keep it all together and ready for action. Just to dress it up a bit.

When it comes to loads, there are a lot of options. That's the key to the Big 12. That flexibility gives the simple and slow pump the ability to deal with anything and everything. From quail to charging elephants. Law Enforcement almost universally uses 9 pellet 00 Buck. But is this the best load? I think the best load for “do anything” is actually much smaller. BB Shot. This provides a big enough pellet to give good penetration, yet small enough that you launch a whole shitstorm of them. Fired at close range, the pellet mass moves as one, blasting through to the vitals. At longer ranges, you have enough pellets to insure a hit. This is closest to the universal shell that I've tried, and I've tried a ton of them. My favorite load is by Federal, called the “BlackCloud”. They have BlackClouds in 2 ¾ a 3” loads. The BlackCloud shells feature a special pellet called the “Flight Stopper”. This pellet is sort of oblong shaped with a rib belt around the waist. It tears stuff up like crazy. Mixed in with regular pellets, you get good patterns and ferocious stopping power. I just love it.

The Marine Magnum holds 6 + 1 shells, offers moderate recoil for a 12 gauge pump thanks to the very good recoil pad, and easy/slick function.

Brilliant weapon.  10 out of 10.